Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 657,364. Patented Sept. 4, I900.

w. E. SCOFIELD.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed May 22, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet Elfin? @wuemboz a-btowm w: warms PETERS cu. puo'rom'marwnsmnsrou. n c.

no. 657,364. Patented Sept. 4, I900 w. E. 300mm;

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed m 22, 1899.)

( No Model.)

2 heats-Sheet Z.

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UNITED A STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM EDWARD SCOFIELD, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO LUTHER PURCELL POWELL AND JACOB WILSON THORNE,

OF SAME PLACE.-

AGETYLEN E-GAS 6 EN ERATQ R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,364 dated September 4, 1900.

Application filed May 22. 1899.

To whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EDWARD See-T FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the-county of Richmond and 5 State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art I to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to those acetylenegas generators having a plurality of carbid charges adapted to be introduced successively into the water of the generating-tank. My objects are the provision of a generating-tank of novel construction into which the carbid charges or cartridges can be intro-- a side elevation of my gas-generator complete. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the gene erating-tank and frame for supporting the carbid-cartridges. Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the gasometer and its con nections. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of same, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of one of thecarbidcartridges and the mechanism for releasing said cartridges.

The generator 1 and gasometer 2 are supported on a base 3 side by side. The generator is closed on all sides except at the top, where it is provided with a mouth 4, through which the cartridges are introduced. A cleanout 5 is provided in the lower portion of the generator, near where the latter is provided with the vertical side 6. Above the side 6 the holding and releasing each cartridge. is a barrel l6, havingan open body 17, in the Serial No. 717,796. (No model.)

generator-body has the curved side 7,provided with trough-like guides 8 on its interior, arranged side by side and adapted to guide the different cartridges as they submerge themselves by gravity when released. The nu mer-' als 9 designate partitions between the guides, which maintain the cartridges in proper position after being submerged. There is a gas seal or apron 10 of zigzag shape in the upper portion of the generator, which is suitably disposed to permit the introduction of the cartridges and yet prevent the escape of any of the gas rising from the submerged carbid, said apron or seal extending from the top of the generator to a point below the water-line. Rising from the top of the generator is a frame 11, having vertical guide rcds or wires arranged in pairs, as shown at 12, the number of pairs corresponding to the number of carbid-cartridges.

The numeral 13 designates a trip shaft journaled in brackets on the generator back of the frame 11, which shaft carries a ratchetwheel 14 and trip-fingers 15, corresponding in number to the cartridges.

Independent mechanism is employed for There ends of which slides a bolt 18, having a trunnion 19. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a The numeral 20 designates a shifting lever pivoted to the barrel at 21 and having an arm which is provided with a slot which loosely receives the trunnion. The curved or bent end of the lever extends backwardly immediately over the corresponding finger 15 on the trip-shaft, so that when the latter has been rotated sufficiently to bring the given trip-finger in engagement with said lever the bolt will be retracted, thus releasing the cartridge. Further rotation of the shaft will cause the release of the next cartridge, and so on in succession.

The cartridges have a cylindrical body or shell 22, made in two detachable sections to permit introduction of the carbid, provided with a conical lower end having aninlet-pipe 23. A convex perforated bottom 24 is positioned in the shell and supports the carbid 25. In the top. of the shellisapu-ppet-vallve 26, over which is a guard 27. The shell is provided with a bail 28, to which is connected a pull-rod 29, having a hooked upper end and a cross-head 31. On one side the shellis provided with aperforated bolt-receiver 32, adapted to receive bolt 18', and on the other side is a lug 33', adapted to be engaged by awire-retaining frame 34:, hinged to apron or seal 10 at 35. This retainer rests on the lug 33 when the cartridge is in raised position,,and when it has been submerged the retainer bears against the rod 29 and prevents the book 30 from becoming detached .from the lower.

bar or" frame 11. The rods'29' have their'u'pper ends adapted to slidebetween the guide rods or'wires 12 and are heldin proper position by the contact of the cross-heads 31 with 1 said guide-rods.

The numeral 36 designates the gas supply or inlet pipe leading from. the gas-space, of the generator to that of the gasometer and provided with a condensation-trap 37.. The outlet or house pipe 38, leadingfrom thegasom eter, has a condensation-trap 39. Disposed centrally within the gasometer2 is a blowabove the water-line.

.. it.. The gas-bell is provided with a pivoted E5 or hinged pawl 47, suitably hung to engage:

ofi or safety pipe 40, one of whose ends is in.

the upper portion of the gasometer and the other-end being disposed onthe outside,where it can discharge into the open air.

The numeral 41 designates the gas-bell travel on the side pieces of a vertical guideframe 43, detachably secured to the gasometer at 454:. A pipe 45, secured at its upper. end to the top of the gas-bell, telescopes overblow-0d pipe 40 and. prevents the gas from escaping except when the hole 46 is disposed When the gas-bell has raised sufficiently to position the hole above thewater-line, the: pressure. has become. ex.- cessive, and provision is thus madetorelieve with the ratchet-Wheel 14; when the bell has dropped from lack of suitable gaspressure to its lower limit, or nearly so. The generator and gasometer having. been filled with water and the partsproperly arranged, the operation isas follows: The fi rst cartridge released slides down the curved portion of the generator-shell until the abrupt side 6 is reached, whereupon itassumesaven tical position and is heldby the engagement. of the hook 30 with the lower cross-bar of. the frame 11., The water having access tothe. carbid, the gas generated raises the puppets valve 26and escapes upwardly through the water and intothegas-space, from which it passes into the gasometerand raises the gasbell. When the pressure. has becomesufiiciently diminished in thegasometer, the bell drops, whereupon the pawl 47 engages and turns the ratchet-wh'eel.

...thesecfmd trip-finger of theseries to engage thelever of the second set of catch mechanwhich is providedwith rollersj4-2, adaptedto This action causes.-

isntand to retract the boltfiromthe-cartridge, thus. releasing-the second cartridge, which slides down into the generator and assumes a positionbeside the first cartridge. The oper- 1 ion is repeated as the carbid in the cartridge ,being used loses, its gas-generating p-roperhaving amouth for the introduction of the carbidrcartridge a-nd'a side having aninclinedi :portion leading frornthe mouth iora'djacent thereto and terminating-in an; abrupt shoulder or upright, portion in the; lower part, of the tank, said shoulder being separated from the side. t-hereot to leave aspace; for thereception .of the cartridges aftergravitating .{down theinclined portion, a plurality of car- =bid-cartridges releasably held outside the (mouth in position togra-vitatedown the in- "cjlin'ed portion and means for holding them in upright position against the shoulder after 2. In an acetylene-gas generatomya tank.

fgravitating down the inclined 'sid'ean'd 1eav-- ing'thesame,

3; In an acetylene-generator,the-combina- =.tionwit h aplunalityof. independent carbid cartridges,,of independent retaining mechf anism for each cartridgeconsistingof a slidgingcatch-bolt and pivoted lever for-operatging. the' bolt, ashaft carrying a plurality of for turning saidshaft.

4. In an acetylene-generatenthe combinaftionz with a carbid-cartridge, of. mechanism .1 abolt-slidable-in thebarreland provided rel and having an arm loosely connected to gthe;trunnion, a gasometer having a. movableg1 bell a, pawl connected. to the bell, and atrip- Jfinger, adapted for: actuation by the pawl, j which engages and moves the lever to release the. cartridge.

In an acetylene-gas generator, thecombination with. a tank, of a frame having a :plurality of guides, a. plurality of carbid-cartridges. having rods whichslide-in therespec- It'ive guides and are provided with cross-heads bearing on: the. guides and withahooks for engaging the frame when the cartridges have been released, independent catch mechanismsfor therespective cartridges,,and means lfor releasing said catch mechanisms insuc cession atpredetermined intervals. I fitxIn an acetylene-gas generator, the combinationwith a tan kof a carbid-cartridge and fingers corresponding to, the; levers and aranged-to trlpthem in suc,cession,and means.

or holdi-ng'itxinposition consisting of a bar-- 1'- witha trunnion, a lever pivoted to the; barmeans for holding the-cartridge in position for submersion in the tank, and a retainingframe on the tank which bears against the cartridge when the latter is raised and bears against the rod when the cartridge is lowered.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM EDWARD SGOFIELD.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL MARTIN, RUFUS H. BROWN. 

